Clothes washing apparatus employing oscillatable agitator



- H3 11@@ c. o. HALLDIN A CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS EMPLOYIM OSCILLATABLE AGITATOR Filed June 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3.3, 11949 co. HALLDHN ETAL fi CLUTHES WASHING APPARATUS EMPLOYING OSCILLATABLE AGITAI'OR Filed June 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. i3, 1949 CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS EMPLOY- ING OSCILLATABLE AGITATOR ,Carl Oscar Halldin and Toni Erik Daniel Bilde, Stockholm, Sweden, assignors to Akiiebolaget Elektrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application June 30, 1944, Serial No. 543,026 In Sweden December 23, 1943 22 Claims. 1

Our invention relates to apparatus for washing clothes with the aid of an oscillatable agitator.

In washing clothes in a body of washing fluid in a receptacle or vat of a washing machine by mechanical action, it is desirable for all of the clothes to be subjected to the same thorough cleansing and washing action. When such washing action is effected by an agitator or stirrer oscillatable in the receptacle or vat, the washing action is accomplished by intermittent compression and loosening of the clothes which are alternately acted upon at opposite faces or sides of the agitator element.

It is an object of our invention to provide an improved apparatus for washing clothes with the aid of an oscillatable agitator, particularly to effect a more efficient and uniform washing of the clothes.

It is a further object to provide an improved agitator which imparts movement to the washing fluid and the clothes being circulated in a receptacle which is extremely favorable for effecting a thorough cleaning and washing action.

It is a further object to produce such movement of the washing fluid and the clothes in the receptacle with the aid of an oscillatable agitator which is formed and shaped so that the clothes being circulated are repeatedly brought back again and again to be acted upon by the agitator, and hencefrequently exposed to its favorable cleansing and washing action.

In accordance with our invention, efllcient cleansing and washing of the clothes may be accomplished, if desired, by a single oscillatable agitator of such form that the clothes are circulated in a path of movement in which the latter are more or less uniformly acted upon by the agitator. On alternate strokes of its oscillatory movement, one part of the agitator is effective to impart movement to the clothes in one general direction past the agitator; and on opposite alternate strokes of its oscillating movement, another part of the agitator is effective to impart movement to the clothes in a generally opposite direction past the agitator. This movement imparted not only. to the clothes but also to the washing fiuid promotes a positive circulation of the clothes in a path of movement in which the clothes can be repeatedly brought into physical contact with different parts of the agitator, each part contributing to the cleaning and washing action and imparting such a movement to the clothes that the clothes pass to another part of the a itator.

In its preferred form the oscillatable agitator is provided with two blades or impellers, each of which extends lengthwise of the axis of oscillation and is bent or curved in transverse section so as to define a generally concave-shaped blade surface at one face thereof and a convex-shaped blade surface at the opposite face thereof. The blades in transverse section are bent or curved in opposite directions with respect to the axis of oscillation, the outer free edge portion of each blade or impeller projecting in the general directionthe clothes move from one side or face to the opposite side or face of the blade past its outer free edge.

The effective parts of the blades or impellers desirably are offset with respect to one another lengthwise of the agitator, and are at-an angle with respect to the axis of oscillation which is less than so that the concave-shaped blade surfaces, which may be referred to as being bowlshaped, face and oppose each other. The two blades extend lengthwise of the agitator along all or a part of its length and the convex-shaped blade surfaces or outer faces remote from each other are smooth and merge into one another to present a surface which is free of obstruction at all regions thereof and over which the clothes readily slide during oscillating movement of the agitator.

The blades during oscillating movement of the agitator pass through regions of the body of washing fluid that are otherwise free and unobstructed for a sufllcient distance beyond the outer free edges of the blades to enable clothes to move in one direction past each outer blade edge from the convex-shaped face to the concaveshaped face of the blade.

The agitator may be mounted in a washing receptacle for oscillating movement about a horiaontally extending axis in such a manner that the blades project toward the bottom of the receptacle during their oscillating movement. To facilitate loading of the clothes into the receptacle and cleaning of the latter, the agitator is desirably removably supported in the receptacle to permit its ready removal from the washing apparatus.

The invention, together with the above and other objects and advantages thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical view, partly in section, of

' .vention:

' .I"lg.2isan'enlarged apparatusforwashingclothesemhodyingtheim sideelevationoftheagitator'showninl'lg.1;' r

, rigs is an end-view of the agitator, mos 'linelII-HI ofl'lg.2;

Pig. 4 is aatop plan view of the agitator shown in to verticalsectionalviewtakenonline V of Pig. 2; I

Fig. a horizontal sectional view taken on line VI-VI of P18. 3;

Figs. 7 and 9 are top plan views.more or less diagrammatically illustrating washing apparatus I like that shown in Fig. 1. to show more clearly matically illustrating washing apparatus like that shown in Pig. 1, to show more clearly the manner in which clothes areacted upon by the blades of the agitator during its oscillating movement;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of parts of the clothes washing apparatus of Pig. 1 to illustrate details of supporting structure for removably holding the agitator; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating another form of the agitator.

Referring to Fig. l. the clothes washingapparatus embodying the invention comprises a vat or receptacle I! for holding a body of washing fluid. The receptacle III is formed with a flat bottom l3 and an upstanding side wall at the upper peripheral edge of which may be provided an outwardly extending flanged rim I2. The flanged rim l2 may be utilized for positioning the receptacle in an opening in a suitable supporting surface, such as, for' example, a, scullery sink. The flanged rim l2 also provides a shoulder upon which a cover II is supported to prevent spilling of washing fluid. Although not shown, the cover ll may be provided with a suitable handle to facilitate handling thereof.

A driving unit ll, which may be of any conventional type including an electric motor and suitable gearing, is diagrammatically shown at the side wall of the receptacle Ill. The driving unit is operatively connected in any well known manner to an agitator I! for oscillating the latter.

In accordance with the invention, the agitator II is mounted in the receptacle III for oscillating movement therein about a horizontally disposed shaft II. The agitator I5 is removably supported in the receptacle ID to permit positioning and removal thereof at any time, thereby avoiding by providing an enlarged part 2! at one end of the agitator I! which serves as a clutch element adapted to engage another clutch element driven by the driving unit I 4. The shaft it about which ceives the enlarged end 2. of the stub shaft 22 which is urged to the right in Fig. 1 under the compression of a spring 2! disposed between the inner end of the stub shaft 22 and a pin 21 flxed to the hollow sleeve 22.

when it is desired to remove the agitator II from the receptacle ll, it is moved to the right in Fig. 1 against the action of spring 28 until the clutch element 2| is disengaged from its cooperating clutch element. associated with the driving unit ll. The'left-hand end of the agitator II can then be tilted upwardly. asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, after which the agitator can be readily removed from the receptacle. To facilitate the positioning and removal of the agitator II, the enlarged end 28 of the stub shaft 22 may be suitably rounded or curved and the hollow bushing 25 may be formed with a spherical cavity, if desired.

The agitator l5 comprises a pair of elongated blades or impellers II and is each of which extends lengthwise of the axis of oscillation across a major portion of the distance between the opposing sides of the receptacle ll. As best shown in Figs. 7 and 9, the receptacle Ill may be of cylindrical shape with the axis of oscillation of the blades l8 intersecting the vertical axis of the receptacle. When the agitator I5 is in an intermediate position of its oscillating movement and approximately midway between the limits of its back and forth motion, the blades II and II are directed obliquely downwardly toward the bottom it of the receptacle, as best shown in Fig. 3. a

Each blade l8 and I! in transverse section is curved so as to define a concave-shaped blade surface at one face and a convex-shaped blade surface at its; opposite face. As seen in Fig. 3,

the blades l8 and I! are curved in opposite direc- 4o tions with respect to the axis of oscillation so the agitator l5 oscillates includes a stub shaft formed with a hollow sleeve 32 which receives the inner end of the stub shaft 22 having an elongated slot 22. A pin 34 fixed to the sleeve 22 limits axial movement and prevents angular movement of the stub shaft 22. A hollow bushing that the concave-shaped blade surfaces 23 and 24 face and oppose each other.

The remote convex-shaped blade surfaces 2' and 26 desirably form an angle with respectto the axis of oscillation which is less than 180. It will be seen that the convex-shaped blade surfaces 25 and 26 are imperforate, smooth and free of obstructions of a character to which clothes tend to cling or stick. Further, the imperforate convex-shaped blade surfaces embrace the shaft l6 and hence extend directly to the axis of oscillation, thus merging into one another to present an over-all surface which is characterized by an unbroken soft curve extending from the region of the shaft It to the outer free edges of the blades and over which clothes readily slide during oscillating movement of the agitator IS.

The outer free edge of each blade I 8 and I! is formed with an enlarged bead II which is rounded and extends inwardly toward the concave-shaped blade surface. The beads 2i are effectively employed to impart movement to the clothes, as will be'described presently, and are shaped to keep the outer or remote sides 25 and 26 of the blades 'smooth and free of obstruction of any kind. I

The inner faces 23 and 24 may be formed to oscillating movement of the agitator II. This I may be accomplished by forming grooves or providing rounded projections at the opposing inner faces 22 and 24 of the blades, if desired. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 11, the inner face 24 of the blade (I is formed with grooves or serra- 4 v flfixedtothesidewallofthereceptacle llrethe opposite end 29 of the agitator.

tions which extend lengthwise of the agitator It and are more or less parallel'to the axis of oscillation.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the blades are more or less of parabolic form and are not only curved in transverse sectionbut also curved in longitudinal section, as best seen in Fig. 6, to provide bowl-shaped blades which face the vertical plane F-F midway between the blades and passing through the axis of oscillation at the region of shaft IS.

The extent to which the blades is and I9 project laterally from the axis of oscillation varies lengthwise of the agitator IS. The regions of the blades l8 and it of widest lateral extent are desirably offset or displaced with respect to one 7 another lengthwise'of the agitator I5. As shown in Fig. 2, the region A of widest lateral extent of the blade I8 is adjacent to one end 29 of the agitator, and the region B of widest lateral extent of the blade 19 is adjacent to the opposite end 30 of the agitator.

The lateral extent of the blade [8 becomes progressively smaller in a direction extending lengthwise of the agitator from the widest region A to the opposite end 30 of the'agitator. Likewise, the lateral extent of the blade It becomes progressively smaller in a direction extending lengthwise of the agitator from the widest region B to ly disposed region C intermediate the ends of the agitator. at which point the outer free edges of the blades l8 and is intersect, the lateral extent of each blade is less than one-half of its widest lateral extent.

Also, the perpendicular distance from the inner face of each bowl-shaped blade 18 and I9 to a plane which is midway between the blades and passes through the axis of oscillation varies lengthwise of the agitator. This is best shown in Fig. 6 where the perpendicular distance to the plane FF from the inner faces 23 and 24 of the blades is greatest atthe regions G adjacent to and slightly removed from the extreme'ends 29 and 30 of the agitator, and less at the regions H directly at the ends 29 and 30 of the agitator than at the regions J intermediate and between the ends of the agitator.

During a washing operation in which the receptacle contains a body of washing fluid and the clothes to be washed, a general movement of the clothes takes place from the convex-shaped side to the concave-shaped side of each blade past its outer extremity or free edge. The oscillating movement of each blade l8 and I9 lifts and presses down the clothes. thereby alternately compressing and loosening the clothes and effecta ing a washing action.

When the blade [9 moves to the left in Fig. and through a suitable angle from the position illustrated, the clothes upon which the concaveshaped blade surface 24 acts are also moved to the left. When the blade is moves in the opposite direction and to the right in Fig. 5, there is a tendency for the clothes in the path of movement to be moved backward somewhat. However, as the blade l9 continues to move toward the right in Fig. 5.the clothes readily slide ofl the convex-shaped blade surface 26 at the outer free edge of the blade due to its contour and the fact that it is smooth and free of obstruction of any kind.

When the convex-shaped blade surface of each blade is the leading face, it acts more or less.

passively on the clothes in its path of movement At a centralwhile the concave-shaped blade surface of each blade positively acts upon and seizes the clothes,

such action being effective to entrain the clothes and impart a generally forward movement thereto which is initially in a downward direction and subsequently in an upward direction. By providing the beads 3| at the outer free edges of the blades, the seizing of the clothes is improved when the concave-shaped blade surface of each blade is the leading face during oscillating movement in Fig. 8. The surface level I1 is a bounding sur-.

face of the body of washing fluid of such size that the blades I8 and I 9 oscillate back and forth through an arc in which the blades pass through a region of the body of fluid which is otherwise unobstructed. The unobstructed region extends downwardly from the surface level H for a sufficient distance to provide adequate space to enable clothes to slide off the convex-shaped blade surfaces into such space and permit the blades to complete their backward strokes past the clothes. The distance between the flat bottom [3 and the extremities or outer free edges of the blades l8 and I9 varies during oscillating movement of the agitator l5 and increases as the blades move from an intermediate vertical position to an inclined position with each stroke of oscillation.

With oscillatory movement of the agitator l5 and the repeated back and forth strokes of the blades l8 and it. a general movement of the clothes is promoted from the convex side to the opposite concave side of each blade past its outer extremity. since the blades l8 and I9 are staggered with respect to one another lengthwise of the agitator l5. and the bowl-shaped surfaces 23 and 2d face each other, the blades effectively work alongside of each other and the clothes to be Washed are caused to move past the agitator in opposite directions in two streams beside each other, as indicated by the arrows D and E in Fig. 6.

In the receptacle Hi these streams, indicated by the arrows D and E, mutually cooperate to produce circulation'of the clothes in one single direction. This is best illustrated by referring to Fig. 7 which diagrammatically shows the concave-shaped face of the blade l8 acting upon the clothes and imparting movement thereto toward the left at one side of the receptacle l0. Fig. 8 diagrammatically illustrates the blade is in a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 7. in which the blade I 8 is moving toward the left and acting upon the clothes at its concave-shaped side or face.

In Fig. 9 the blade 19 is shown at the completion of a forward stroke in which the concaveshaped face thereof has acted upon the clothes. During such forward stroke of the blade l9, movement is imparted to the clothes to the right and in the opposite direction from that shown in Fig. 7. In the receptacle Ill these oppositely-directed movements imparted to the clothes by the blades is and Iii augment each other to circulate the clothes in one general direction, the upstanding side wall of the receptacle contributing to move the clothes in a circular path of movement which is generally parallel to the surface level II of the 7 body of washing iluid. This movement of the clothes-in one general direction is also supplemented by an additional vertical movement at the regions of the blades It and It which causes the clothes to move down and up while being carried forward by the bowl-shaped surfaces It and 24 of the blades.

It will now be understood that the clothes are circulated in such a manner that they are repeatedly brought back again and again to be The agitator Is is formed of an integral body of material having the blade-forming portions l8 and I! which are unsymmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of wcillation at the region of the shaft ii. The agitator lils formed with an elongated sleeve 32 which may be referred to as the axis-forming region where the imperforate bladeJorming portions l8 and I! merge into one another.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood that an improvement has been provided for washing clothes with an oscillatable agitator in which emcient and uniform washing of the clothes is accomplished. In the foregoing description and in the claims it is to be understood that the term "clothes" is intended to, include not only wearing apparel but other textile fabrics or materials which require washing.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to .those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in certain instances it may be desirable to mount the agitator in the recept'acle for oscillation about an axis which is slightly inclined to the horizontal. It is, therefore, contemplated to cover all modifications and changes which come within the spirit of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agitator, means for mounting said agitator in said receptacle for oscillating movement about a horizontally extending axis, said agitator including a pair of blades extending laterally from such axis,

each of said blades being curved so as to be concave on one side and convex on the other side and the curvature of one blade with respect to the axis being in a direction opposite to that of the curvature of the other blade with respect to the axis, each of said blades having a lateral extent varying along the axis of the agitator, the maximum lateral extent of one blade being displaced axially with respect to the maximum lateral extent of the other blade.

2.In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agitator, means for mounting said agitator in said receptacle for oscillating movement about a horizontally extending axis, said agitator including a pair of blades extending laterally from each axis, each of said blades being curved so as to be concave on one side and convex on the other side and the curvature of one blade with respect to the axis being in a direction opposite to that of the curvature of the other blade with respect to the axis, each of said blades having a'lateral extent varying along the axis of the agitator, the maxi- DAOL UI mum lateral extent 0! one blade being located adjacent to one end of said agitator and the maximum lateral extent of the other blade being lo cated adjacent to the opposite end of the agitator.

3. In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agitator, means for mounting said agitator in said receptacle for oscillating movement about a horizontally extending axis, said agitator including a pair of blades extending laterally from such axis, each of said blades being curved so as to be concave on'one side and convex on the other side and the curvature of one blade with respect to the axis being in a direction opposite to that of the curvature of the other blade with respect to the axis.

each of said bladeshaving a lateral extent vary-' ing along the axis of the agitator, the maximum lateral extent of one blade being located adjacent to one end of said agitator and the maximum lateral extent of the other blade being located adjacent to the opposite end of the agitator, the lateral extent of each of said blades at the point midway between the ends of said agitator being less than one-half of its maximum lateral extent.

-4. In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agitator, means for mounting said agitator in said receptacle for oscillating movement about a horizontally extending axis, said agitator including a pair of blades extending laterally from such axis and disposed at an angle of less than 180 with respect to each other, each of said blades having a varying lateral extent, the maximum lateral extent of one blade being located adjacent to one end of said agitator and the maximum lateral extent of the other blade being located adjacent. to the opposite end ofthe agitator, the distance between each blade and an axial plane located symmetrically with respect to said blades decreasing from the point of maximum lateral extent towards the opposite end of the blade, the adjacent faces of said blades being concave and the remote faces being convex.

5. In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agitator, means for mounting said agitator in said receptacle for oscillating movement about a horizontally extending axis, said agitator including a pair of blades extending laterally from such axis, each of said blades being curved so as to be concave on one side and convex on the other side and the curvature of one blade with respect to the axis being in a direction opposite to that of the curvature of the other blade with respect to the axis, each of said blades having a lateral extent varying along the axis of said agitator, one of said blades having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between one end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof and said other blade having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between the opposite end of said agitator anda region intermediate the ends thereof, the convex sides of said blades being substantially smooth and free of obstructions to present surfaces over which clothes to be washed readily slide and the concave sides thereof being formed to present irregular-shaped surfaces which will promote movement of the clothes by each concave side when it is the leading face during oscillating movement of the agitator.

' 6. In a washing machine, a receptacle for containing washing fluid and clothes, an oscillatable agitator provided with two blades and having its axis of oscillation disposed substantially parallel to the bottom of said receptacle, said agitator at diiferent axially spaced apart regions thereof 76 being asymmetrir in sections Perpendicular to the axis of oscillation and disposed with said blades extending obliquely down towards said bottom when the agitator is midway between its extreme positions-of oscillation, said agitator being mounted for oscillation in said receptacle so that an unobstructed space is provided between the outer free edges of said blades and the bottom of said receptacle to enable clothes in the path of movement of said blades, when the remote faces thereof are the leading faces during oscillating movement of said agitator, tov slide off such remote faces into said space at the outer free edges of said blades and allow the latter to complete their oscillating movement past the clothes, said receptacle being of such shape that the distance between the bottom of the receptacle and the outer free edges of said blades varies during oscillating movement of said agitator.

7. In a washing machine, a receptacle for containing washing fluid and clothes an agitator, and means for mounting said agitator for oscillating movement in said receptacle, said agitator including a pair of blades, the adjacent faces of said blades being concave and the remote faces of said blades being convex, each of said blades having a lateral extent varying along the axis of said agitator, one of said blades having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between one end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof and said other blade having an axially extendingportion of maximum lateral extent disposed between the opposite end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof, the convex surfaces being imperforate andsmooth and merging into one another to present a surface which is substantially free of obstruction at all regions thereof and over which the .clothes readily slide during oscillating movement of said agitator.

8. In a washing machine, a receptacle having a substantially flat bottom and an upstanding side wall, an agitator, means for mounting said agitator in said receptacle for oscillating movement about a horizontally extending axis, said agitator including a pair of blades which extend laterally from such axis and project toward said bottom during oscillating movement of said agitator, each of said blades being curved so as to be concave on one side and convex on the other side, and the curvature of one blade with respect to the axis being in a direction opposite to that of the curvature of the other blade with respect to the axis,each of said blades having a lateral extent varying along the axis of the agitator, the maximum lateral extent of one blade being located adjacent to one end of said agitator and the maximum lateral extent of the other blade being located adjacent to the opposite end of the agitator.

9. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 8, in which said receptacle is of cylindrical shape and said agitator is mounted in said receptacle for oscillating movement therein about a horizontally extending axis substantially intersecting the vertical axis of said receptacle.

10. For use in a washing machine, an oscillatable agitator comprising a pair of elongated blades which extend laterally from the axis about which the agitator oscillates, each of said blades having a lateral extent which varies lengthwise of the agitator and being curved so as to define a generally concave-shaped blade surface at one face thereof and a convex-shaped blade surface at the opposite face thereof, and said blades in transverse section being curved in opposite direc- 10 J tions with respect to said axis and having the regions thereof of widest lateral extent offset with respect to one another lengthwise of the agitator.

11. For use in a washing machine, an oscillatableagitator as set forth in claim 10 in which Y the regions of the blades of widest lateral extent are adjacent to opposite ends ofthe agitator.

12. For use in a washing machine, an oscillatable agitator as set forth in claim 11 in which the lateral extent of each blade at a centrally disposed region intermediate the ends of the agitator is less than one-half of its widest lateral extent.

13. For use in a washing machine, an oscillatable agitator as set forth in claim 10 in which said agitator is formed of an integral body of material and said convey-shaped blade surfaces are substantially smooth and merge into one another at the region of said axis.

14. For use in a washing machine, as oscillatable agitator as set forth in claim 10 in which the concave-shaped blade surfaces face each other and the remote convex-shaped blade surfaces are at an angle with respect to said axis which is less than the regions of said blades of widest lateral extent are adjacent to opposite ends of the agitator, and the perpendicular distance from each blade to a plane midway between said blades and intersecting said axis becomes progressively smaller in a direction extending lengthwise of the agitator from the region of each blade of widest lateral extent past a centrally disposed region intermediate the ends of said agitator.

15. For use in a washing machine, an oscillatable agitator as set forth in claim 10 in which the concave-shaped "blade surfaces face each other and are of parabolic form and the remote convex-shaped blade surfaces are at an angle with respect to said axis which is less than 180, the regions of said blades of widest lateral extent are adjacent to opposite ends of the agitator, and the perpendicular distance from each blade to a plane midway between said blades and intersecting said axis is greatest at a region adjacent to and slightly removed from an end of the agitator and is less at the extreme end of the agitator'than at a region approximately midway between the ends of the agitator.

16. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle for washing fluid and the clothes to be washed, such receptacle having a bottom and an upstanding side wall, an oscillatable agitator comprising a pair of elongated blades which extent laterally from the axis about which said agitator oscillates, each of said blades having a lateral extent which varies lengthwise of said agitator and being curved so as to define a generally concave-shaped blade surface at, one face thereof and a convex-shaped blade surface at the opposite face thereof, said blades in transverse section being curved in opposite directions with respect to said axis, mechanism for oscillating said agitator, said agitator being mounted for oscillation in said receptacle so that said blades project toward said bottom during their oscillatory movement and an unobstructed region is provided for a suflicient distance between the outer free edges of said blade and said bottom to furnish adequate space through which clothes can readily pass, and said blades having the regions of widest lateral extent offset with respect to one another lengthwise of said agitator so that one blade promotes circulation of the clothes in one general direction past its outer free edge and the other blade promotes circulation of the clothes in ii" ageneraliy opposite direction past its outer free edge.

- 1'7. In a washing machine as set forth in claim 16 in which said agitator isremovably mounted in said receptacle about a horizontally extending axis.

18. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle for washing fluid and the clothesv to be washed, such receptacle being of cylindrical shape and having a bottom and upstanding side wall, an oscillatable agitator comprising a pair of elongated blades which extend laterally from the axis about which said agitator oscillates. each of said blades having a lateral extent which varies lengthwise of said agitator and being curved so as to define a generally concave-shaped blade surface at one face thereof and a convex-shaped blade surface at the opposite face thereof, said blades in transverse section being curved in opposite directions with respect to said axis, mechanism for oscillating said agitator, said agitator being mounted for oscillation in said receptacle so that said blades project toward said bottom during their oscillatory movement and an unobstructed region is provided for a sufficient distance between the outer free edges of said blades and said bottom to furnish adequate space through which the clothes can readily pass, and said blades having the regions of widest lateral extent oflset with respect to one another lengthwise of said agitator so that both blades promote circulation of the clothes in a more or less circular path of movement within said receptacle whereby the clothes are repeatedly brought back again and again to be acted upon by said blades and circulation of the clothes in a path of movement avoiding said blades is minimized.

19. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle for washing fluid and the clothes to be washed, such receptacle having a bottom and an upstanding side wall, an oscillatable agitator including two blade-forming portions which extend laterally from the axis about which said agitator oscillates, mechanism for oscillating said agitator, said agitator being mounted for oscillation in said receptacle about a horizontally extending axis so that said blade-forming portions project toward said bottom during their oscillatory movement and an unobstructed region is provided for a suflicient distance between the outer extremities of said blade-forming portions and said bottom to furnish adequate space "through which the clothes can readily pass, each .of said blade-forming portions having a lateral extent varying along the axis of said agitator, one of said blade-forming portions having an axially extending region of maximum lateral extent disposed between one end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof and said other blade-forming portion having an axially exten d ing region of maximum lateral extent disposed between the opposite end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof, and said blade-forming portions being of such shape that one of said blade-forming portions promotes circulation of the clothes in one general direction past its outer extremity and said other bladeforming portion promotes circulation of the clothes in a generally opposite direction past its outer extremity during oscillatory movement of said agitator.

20. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle for washing fluid and the clothes to be washed, such receptacle being of cylindrical shape and having a substantially flat bottom i2 and an upstanding side wall, as oscillatable agitator including two blade-forming portions which extend laterally from the axis about which the agitator oscillates, mechanism for oscillating said agitator, said agitator being mountedfor oscillation in said receptacle about a substantially horizontal axis so that said blade-forming portions during their oscillatory movement project toward said bottom and an unobstructed region is provided for a sumcient distance between the outer extremities of said blade-forming portions and said bottom to furnish adequate space through which the clothes can readily pass, each of said blade-forming portions having a lateral extent varying along the axis of said agitator, one of said blade-forming portions having an axially extending region of maximum lateral extent disposed between one end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof and said other blade-forming portion having an axially extending region of maximum lateral extent disposed between the opposite end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof, one of said blade-forming portions in transverse section being curved in one direction and said other portion in an opposite direction with respect to said axis so that both portions thereof positively promote circulation of the clothes in a more or less circular path of movement within said receptacle whereby the clothes are repeatedly brought back again and again to be acted upon by said blade-forming portions and circulation of the clothes in a path of movement avoiding said blade-forming portions is minimized.

21. In a washing machine, the combination of a receptacle for washing fluid and the clothes to be washed, said receptacle having a bottom and an upstanding side wall, an oscillatable agitator comprising an integral body of material including a pair of blades which extend laterally from the axis about which said agitator oscillates, each of said blades being curved so as to define a pair of convex-shaped surfaces at one side of said body and a pair of concave-shaped surfaces at the opposite side of said body, said body including an axis-forming region from the immediate vicinity of which said blades project laterally, said body being mounted for oscillation in the receptacle so that said blades project toward said bottom during their oscillatory movement and an unobstructed space is provided for a sumcient distance between the outer extremities of saidblades and said bottom to furnish adequate space through which clothes can readily pass, each of said blades having a lateral extent varying along the axis of said agitator. one of said blades having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between one end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof and said other blade having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between the opposite end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof, so that one blade promotes circulation of the clothes in one general direction past its outer extremity and the other blade promotes circulation of the clothes in a generally opposite direction past its outer extremity during oscillatory movement of said agitator.

' 22. In a washing machine, a receptacle, an agibe concave on one side and convex on the other side, the concave sides facing a plane which is lengthwise 'of and between the blades and intersects the axis of oscillation, each of said blades having a lateral extent varying along the axis of said agitator, and one of said blades having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between one end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof and said other blade having an axially extending portion of maximum lateral extent disposed between the opposite end of said agitator and a region intermediate the ends thereof.

CARL OSCAR HALLDIN. TORD ERIK DANIEL BILDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

Number Number 14 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Croy Feb. 23, 1875 Simon Dec. 25, 1888 Poland Oct. 23, 1888 Busgett Sept. 30, 1890 Gundrum Feb. 2, 1892 Hoff July 23, 1929 Kirby Dec. 1, 1931 Barker July 11, 1933 Lunoe Jan. 26, 1937 Bishop Apr. 26, 1938 Knox Nov. 19, 1940 Frantz Oct. 10, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden of 1909 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,491,081 December 13, 1949 CARL OSCAR HALLDIN ET AL. It is hereby cert' edthat errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent correction as follows: Column 1, line 2 igjfor thewofd cleaning read cleansing; column 7, line 68, for each read such; column 10,1me'16, for convey-shaped read convex-shaped; line 19, ,for machine, as read machine, an; line 53, for extent read extend; column 12,

line 1, for vyall, as read wall, an; "and that the "said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the "Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed 28th day of March, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

